PANAJI
The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority has resolved to write to the National Centre for Scientific Coastal Management (NCSCM) which has prepared Goa’s Coastal Zone Management Plan to not include any structures in the final CZMP after controversy has arisen over the inclusion of some structures and the exclusion of others.
In the 18th meeting of the GCZMA held on March 18, the authority noted that National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) was provided the cadastral maps of the Directorate of Settlement and Land Records (DSLR) which were promulgated in the 1970s as base maps for preparation of the Draft CZMP, 2011.
As a result, the structures shown in the cadastral maps of the DSLR are reflecting in the Draft CZMP, 2011 which is in public domain seeking objections and suggestions while those set up after 1970 have not reflected despite many of them being legal since they were set up before the 1991 deadline for CRZ.
“The Authority is of the opinion that legality of a structure cannot be decided on the basis of being shown or not shown in the DSLR Maps as they were promulgated in the 1970s and no further promulgated maps of February 1991 are available for confirmation of the same.
COMMON GROUSE
In view of the confusion the GCZMA has received numerous objections and suggestions from the public stating that their structure is not shown in the Draft CZMP or a structure is wrongly shown in the Draft CZMP which form a bulk of the suggestions for rectification they have received.
Finally the Authority has decided “to recommend to the NCSCM not to show any structures on the CZMP maps except structures on fore shore such as jetties, wharfs, quays, ramps, lighthouses, beacons, and areas or structures of archaeological importance and heritage sites.”
PORT LIMITS
The GCZMA has also decided that the port limits will not be depicted in the final plan owing to the confusion and opposition to the port limits.
In a decision taken at the same meeting on March 18, the Authority noted that it is not expressly specified in the guidelines to the CRZ Notification, 2011 that port limits should be depicted in the Draft CZMP and hence, the Authority decided to recommend to the NCSCM to remove the depiction of port limits from the Draft CZMP, 2011 before submission to the NCZMA.
The port limits were included in response to the NCSCM seeking copies of notification of major port limits i.e. Mormugao Port Trust including Betul, and of minor ports i.e. Panaji, Chapora, Tiracol, Sal and Talpona which were provided to NCSCM.
However, in response, NCSCM has shown the Port Limits in the Draft CZMP maps and major and minor ports “using a single colour code thereby creating the impression that all the area shown under port limits is major port i.e. MPT.”
“Numerous objections and suggestions have been received from the general public on this issue, including apprehensions that the Port Authority proposed to be constituted under Major Port Authorities Bill may acquire their land shown within port limits. Some local bodies have also expressed apprehensions regarding dilution or overlapping of their jurisdictions,” the GCZMA noted.
HAZARD LINE
Similarly the GCZMA also decided to clarify that “the hazard line is not a regulatory line, but a line depicted as a planning tool for disaster management purposes only.”
Other decisions regarding the CZMP include writing to the MoEF & CC and the National Coastal Management Authority that in view of the peculiar circumstances prevailing in the State of Goa where the location of the fisherman houses are not isolated in a single ward or village, other developmental activities permissible under the CRZ Notification, 2011 may be permitted in areas demarcated as fishing wards villages in the Coastal Zone Management plan and this should form a part of the final notification of CZMP, 2011.
VILLAGE PLANS
Finally with regard to the plans submitted by the villages, the Department of Environment has acknowledged that it has received draft CZMP maps from 118 Village Panchayats and eight Municipal Councils and the same were forwarded to the NCSCM for incorporation in the Draft CZMP, 2011 for Goa in 2019.
“The Authority noted that the exercise of comparison of the Draft CZMP as submitted by the local bodies with the Draft CZMP submitted by NCSCM in 2021 has commenced. The Authority decided that on completion of the said appraisal, clarification will be sought from the NCSCM on the differences observed and the response so received from NCSCM will be shared with the local bodies,” the GCZMA noted.
